American University of Beirut

Department of Health Promotion and Community Health

​Chairperson
Makhoul, Jihad
ProfessorsAbdulrahim, Sawsan; Makhoul, Jihad
Associate ProfessorKabakian-Khasholian, Tamar
Assistant ProfessorSieverding, Maia
Part-time Senior LecturerEl Kak, Faysal
Part-time LecturerAl Barazi, Rana
LecturersKanj, Mayada; Khawam, Grace
Instructors of Public Health PracticeKalot, Joumana; Najem, Martine
AffiliateSalloum, Ramzi​

The department offers a three-year bachelor of arts (B.A.) degree in health communication (HCOM) and a master of public health (MPH) degree in health promotion and community health (HPCH).

The HCOM program prepares undergraduate students to develop, deliver, and evaluate health communication tools and activities; and to communicate health information to diverse audiences. Students enrolled in the program will receive most of their disciplinary training in the HPCH department but will also take courses in the media studies program at the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS). HCOM courses are designed to train students in public health theory and methods; planning, managing and evaluating health communication; and communicating health messages to audience of interest.

The HPCH department also contributes to teaching courses in other undergraduate programs in the Faculty of Health Sciences and in a teaching diploma in health education with the Department of Education at the Faculty of Arts and Sciences.

BA in Health Communication

Promotion

For promotion from year I to year II, students must complete a minimum of 32 credits. For promotion from year II to year III, students must complete a minimum of 66 credits.

Residency Requirements

As per AUB policy, students must earn their final forty-five (45) credits while in residence (refer to the General University Academic Information section). Given the structured curriculum, and course offerings, students of the Faculty of Health Sciences must meet a minimum residency requirements. The minimum number of credits is 45. However, the maximum number of required credits will depend on course equivalency.

Students pursuing the health communication major are required to register for four regular terms.

Graduation Requirements

To be eligible for graduation with the degree of bachelor of arts in health communication, students must:
  • pass a minimum of 95 credit hours after freshman class or its equivalent.
  • achieve a total cumulative GPA of 2.3 and achieve a cumulative GPA of 2.3 in the major field of study.

Curriculum for Bachelor of Arts in Health Communication

Course Number Course Title Lecture Hrs./ Week Lab Hrs./ Week Credits

Fall 1
HPCH 210Health Communication Theory2
2
3
EPHD 203Epidemiology and Biostatistics2
2
3
HPCH 205Introduction to Public Health2
2
3
HPCH 211Research Methods2
2
3
ENGL 203Academic English3
0
3
Term Credit Total ​ ​ ​ 15

Spring 1
EPHD 213Survey Methods1
2
2
HPCH 203Interpersonal Communication3
0
3
HPCH 201Health Awareness and Behavior2
2
3
MCOM 227Media and the Environment3
0
3
MCOM 228Introduction to Digital media3
0
3
ENGL 204Advanced Academic English3
0
3
Term Credit Total ​ ​ ​ 17

Fall 2
HPCH 237Theories and Practice of Health Promotion3
0
3
MCOM 215Media Law and Ethics1
2
3
ARAB 223Arabic for the Media3
0
3
HPCH 208Advocacy and Activism for Social Change2
2
2
HPCH 212Design and Evaluation of Health Communication Activities2
2
3
Term Credit Total ​ ​ ​ 14

Spring 2
HPCH 204Social Marketing2
2
3
HPCH 207Risk Communication in Public Health Practice1
2
2
 Cultures and Histories (History of Ideas) Elective I3
0
3
 Culture and Histories Elective II3
0
3
BIOL 209
Or​
BIOL 210​
Concepts and Connections 
Or
Human Biology

​3

0

​3
 Arabic Communication Elective3
0
3
Term Credit Total ​ ​ ​ 17

​Summer
HPCH 250Practicum_
_
2
Term Credit Total ​ ​ ​ 2

Fall 3
HPCH 200Global Public Health3
0
3
 Societies and Individuals elective  3
 Free Elective1
2
2
MCOM 246Digital and Multimedia News3
0
3
MCOM 247
Or
MCOM 226
Trauma Journalism 
Or
Journalism and Society​

​3


0

3

Term Credit Total ​ ​ ​ 15

Spring 3​
HPCH 215Project Management Skills1
2
2
 Understanding the World Elective I3
0
3
 Societies and Individuals Elective II3
0
3
 Culture and Histories Elective III3
0
3
HPCH 209Digital Health for Public Health1
2
2
HPCH 251Capstone Seminar0
2
2
Term Credit Total ​ ​ ​ 15
Total Credits ​ ​ ​ 95


Course Descriptions


​​​Modes of Analysis
​​Understanding Communication - English and Ar​abic (9) 
​​Cultures and Histories (9) , Human Values (3)
​​Societies and Individuals (6)
​Understanding the World (6) 

Quantitative Reaso​ning (5)
​​​Major Courses (51+2+2)
​​Community Engaged Learning (3)
​Other courses (3)
​​Lecture Course (9+12 +6+11 +51+2 +2+3+3)
​​Required Arabic course (3); 

Required English courses: ENGL 203 (3), 204(3)
​​12 credits 

9 in Cultures and Histories

MCOM 215 (3)
​​Societies and Individuals (6) 
​​Understanding the world electives (3)
BIOL 209 or 210 (3)

EPHD 203(3)

EPHD 213 (2)
​​HPCH 200(3); HPCH 201(3); HPCH 203(3); HPCH 204(3); HPCH 205(3); HPCH 207(2); HPCH 208(3); HPCH 209(2); HPCH 210(3); HPCH 211(3); HPCH 212(3); HPCH 215(2); HPCH 237(3); MCOM 227(3); MCOM 215(3); MCOM 246(3); MCOM 247 or 226 (3); MCOM 228(3)
​​HPCH 207 (1); HPCH 208 (1)
​ARAB 223 (3)
​​Lab (3)
​​EPHD 203(3) EPHD 213 (2) 


​​Seminar (2) 
​​HPCH 251(2)

​​Fieldwork
​​HPCH 250(2)
​​HPCH 250 (2)​
​​

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